Roundtable Discussion on Artificial Intelligence Impact and Governance (AIIG)

On 27^th August 2024, Khazanah Research Institute (KRI) hosted an Artificial Intelligence Impact and Governance (AIIG) roundtable at the Odyssey Hall, Mercu UEM, Kuala Lumpur. The event brought together 36 key stakeholders from the public and private sectors, as well as academia, civil society organisations, and independent experts, building on insights gathered from a series of interviews conducted earlier in the year.

The roundtable served as a platform to delve deeper into AI risks, as well as challenges and ways forward associated with AI governance in Malaysia. Discussions centred on the potential functions of a central national AI agency and the need for a cohesive national strategy, emphasising the importance of clear regulatory frameworks tailored to Malaysia’s context.

KRI put forward several key recommendations during the event:

• Establishing a Central National AI Agency: KRI advocates for the establishment of a central national AI agency to coordinate and implement Malaysia’s AI strategy, ensuring alignment across sectors.
• Developing an Agile Regulatory Framework: KRI recommends a flexible regulatory approach that adapts to the evolving AI landscape while being grounded in Malaysia’s context.
• Setting Clear National Objectives: KRI highlighted the need for an AI regulatory framework with well-defined national objectives, ensuring policy coherence both across and within sectors.

By engaging a diverse array of experts, the roundtable aimed to raise awareness and gather actionable input to guide Malaysia’s AI governance. This positions the nation to play a significant role in regional and global AI leadership as it prepares to chair the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in the coming year.

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